Justice in a Dark Alley
by savvy sparrowhawk
Summary: Dark Alleyways have never been the friendliest of places. Definately not the sort of place you'd want to meet a vengeful pirate, especially if your name's Jack Sparrow.
1. The Alley

Ah, Port Royal. It was good to be back there. Good rum for a start. So the girls weren't as friendly as in Tortuga and there was the slight negative point that he was a wanted criminal, but Jack Sparrow (Captain Jack Sparrow, if you please), was not about to complain.  
At midnight, the streets were all but deserted save for a few late night revellers such as himself. Most people were preparing for the wedding tomorrow, Will and Elizabeth included, and he should probably start working out how to get back to the smithy before dawn. It wouldn't do to have the best man missing at the ceremony. He reached a hand into his pocket to assure himself that the rings were still there, and felt the cool gold bands safely tucked away. Slightly dirty (the mysteries of what else a pirate's pocket contains should remain undisclosed), but safe. Now where was that bloody smithy?  
He took a turn down a dark alley. Most allies are dark at midnight, but this was particularly so. After a few steps he couldn't see more than a few paces ahead. That was when the voice came from the shadows, and he knew he was in trouble.  
"How do, Birdie?"  
  
Jack froze as a figure swung down from the wall bordering the alley, kept still by the pistol squarely pressed against his chest. In the darkness, only the hand holding the rather unfriendly looking gun was visible. It's barer took a step forward and Jack gulped. Yes, this was definitely not the best position to be in.  
"Remember me?" His throat was dry, but he managed to nod. "Hard to forget someone like yerself. How've you been, Anne? Parler?"  
The woman scowled. "It's not Anne any more Birdie. It's Bonny. Bonny Hawk. And as for invoking the right of bloody parler, I am the sodding captain, so request granted. Captain Bonny Hawk." she smiled crookedly, coming further into the moonlight so he could see her more clearly. The pistol pressed against him was enough incentive for him to back down.  
Bonny was a tall woman, almost his height, lean and wiry. Her face and hands were tanned through years of life at sea, her hair sun bleached. Like many pirates, it was a bold statement. It was braided in a multitude of tiny plaits, each with a bead or coin in the end, and held back from her sharply boned face with a wide woven band that crossed her forehead. Ice blue eyes glinted from beneath the band, daring him to try run.  
"Jack Sparrow. Jack Sparrow. Birdie Boy." She sighed, as if with nostalgia. "How long's it been Jack?"  
"It's Captain Jack Sparrow, actually." Jack retorted instinctively, immediately regretting it. If people could just call him Captain straight off then he wouldn't have had to develop an automatic response correcting them. Correcting someone who held a gun to your vitals was not a good idea. Especially when that person threatening said vitals was Bonny Hawk.  
Bonny did not seem to be angered by his response. Her head was tilted on one side and she looked thoughtful. "Captain, eh? Hmm. And there I was thinking you needed a ship to be a captain." The wicked grin was back, baring glitteringly sharp teeth. Jack went pale. How much did this woman know?  
"I do have a ship. I got the Pearl."  
Bonny clapped her free hand to her forehead as if in sudden remembrance. "Course you do! Just no crew, isn't that right Jack?" she smiled at his reaction. He looked so forlorn; as well as amazed that she knew. "I was in Tortuga last month Jack. Met Gibbs there, lovely man. Now what was it that happened, let me see. Oh yes, your crew abandoned you! Don't have much look with crews do we Birdie?"  
"These ones didn't exactly abandon me they just.came to the end of their contractual agreement." Bonny nodded, as if sympathetically, but the smile she gave him was venomous. "You mean they made you give them the ship you promised them as soon as they got to Tortuga?"  
Reluctantly, Jack nodded. Bloody know all woman. "You haven't changed a bit Bonny." He tried to give her a friendly smile, but was well aware of how pathetic he looked.  
"That's Captain Bonny Hawk to you, Birdie. Unlike some people I actually have a ship and a crew to call my own, savvy?"  
"Now wait a minute! That's my word! It's part of my.idiom." There was that knee-jerk reaction thing again. When was he going to learn not to get on the wrong side of his captors?  
"Only because you stole it from me! Along with eighteen cases of rum, two life boats, a cache of swords, thirteen chests of doubloons, twelve crew members, fifty yards of sail cloth, three of my spare sweeps and one red crested parrot!"  
He blinked in disbelief. "Do you keep an inventory of that stuff in your head?"  
"Oh yes, Birdie. You owe me a new pair of boots as well, but I'm prepared to let that go."  
"So kind, Captain."  
"But only because I'm taking your boots tonight."  
"Ah."  
"Everything else, I want paying back in full, or at least its value." She took the pistol away from his chest, sliding it into the holster at her hip. "Savvy?" how could she get so much poison into one word? She must sharpen her tongue at the same time she did her sword. "But Captain, with all due respect, how can a poor little crewless rat such as myself afford to pay you? I mean, just look at me, do I really look like the sort of man who can afford to pay that right away? Look at the way I'm dressed for god's sake!" Bonny eyed him critically, taking in the unwashed, tattered Pirate garb that Jack was dressed in. "Well, I'll admit Jack, you do look a state. Worst Pirate I've ever seen as a matter of fact. But my mate Gibbs tells me you had a bit of luck on the old Isla de Muerta, and well, it must pay pretty well." Her arms were crossed now, but Jack got the feeling that running was not an option, knowing Bonny as he did. He tried to look his most pathetic, imploring Bonny with saddened eyes. Trying to look really regretful that he couldn't pay her back.  
"Well, the Isla de Muerta isn't what it used to be. Not like the good old days. Nothing there really anymore. Worth a visit for the interesting.rock formations." He trailed off weakly, aware that Bony was once again studying him with her head cocked on one side.  
"Nothing there? Really? Where'd you get this then?" her hand had shot out and grabbed him by the neck, caught in the multiple gold chains he wore there. Damn. "Don't lie to me Jack."  
He fumbled for an excuse, painfully aware that Bonny had lifted him by the neck against a wall. Bloody hell she was strong for a skinny woman.  
"Well.I didn't exactly lie to you Captain.you didn't let me finish! Isla de Muerta isn't what it used to be any more because.we plundered it all. Me and the crew."  
"All of it?"  
"Well, most of it. All the stuff that isn't cursed." Bonny lowered him slowly, but didn't release her grip on his neck.  
"And what happened to this treasure? Once you plundered it?" her voice would have been inaudible were she not hissing into his ear. To any passer by they would look like a very loving couple. To any that couldn't see the choking grip she had around his throat that is.  
"Well, we shared it didn't we? Equal shares between the crew and all that."  
"And where is your share now?"  
"Well." he said well a lot when he was nervous, he'd never realised that before.  
"Well?" Bonny squeezed a little tighter than necessary on his throat, her eyes lancing, boring into his. He'd have to tell her. "It's on an Island."  
"Ye-es. The Island you were made governor of? Twice?" how much did the bloody woman dig up about him?  
"Yes. That Island." Bonny smiled and pulled back, but clapped an arm around his shoulders.  
"Well Jack, seeing as you don't have a ship or a crew to speak of, I'm delighted to make you a guest on my own vessel. You'll be coming with us now for an exciting trip to.wherever the hell that island is."  
Jack tried to pull away in protest, but her arm held him fast. "Don't want to come, Birdie? Because I could always just use your life to settle the debt."  
"Well, I'd love to come, but I've a wedding tomorrow. I'm best man! And I'm sure you don't want me to mess up tomorrow so I'll be off now if its all the same to you, shame about the trip and all that but-"  
Bonny smiled, gripping his shoulder at a particularly painful pressure point. "I can't have you letting down the happy couple now can I? But it would be a dreadful shame if you couldn't make the journey with us. Well, lets see." she appeared to be in thought for a moment before smiling at him radiantly. "I know! Carver and Butcher can.escort you to the wedding!"  
There was something about her smile that made Jack feel violently ill, and he got the distinct impression that he did not want to meet Carver and Butcher.  
"Come on out boys!" Bonny called to the shadows. Two of the biggest men Jack had ever seen materialised. They dwarfed him and Bonny in every dimension.  
"Carver, Butcher, I'd like you to meet my good friend Jack Sparrow. You're going to be looking after him, okay?" there was no response from either of the muscle men, but Butcher scratched his head. "I think they're very happy to see you Jack," said Bonny. "They're not usually so.emotional." Still no response from the heavies.  
She unwrapped her arm from around his shoulders and shook his hand. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow then Birdie. The boys'll pick you up from the wedding as soon as it's over." She turned from him, walking back into the dark alley with Butcher and Carver behind her. Jack made to leave as she shouted over her shoulder.  
"Jack?" His voice was a croak, his knees felt like they would give way "Yes?"  
"Don't even think of escaping. You'll only make it worse for yourself. Savvy?"  
"Aye Aye Cap'n."  
There was silence. Jack sank against the wall, letting the terror roll off him. Then he ran like hell. 


	2. History Lessons

"Will! Will wake up damn you!"  
"Whutsthematter?" Will looked up groggily at the dishevelled pirate leaning over him, then promptly screamed, as it is quite disconcerting having a rum breathed, gold toothed, dread locked madman just appear in the small hours of the morning. Jack leapt back.  
"Jack what the hell are you doing?"  
Jack paced the floor of Will's room, looking absolutely terrified. "I've been threatened."  
Will just blinked at him. "It's past midnight on the eve of my wedding day. You- Jack Sparrow- woke me up to tell me you were threatened?"  
In exasperation, Jack threw his hands up. They were shaking, but not from the rather copious amounts of rum he had consumed. "I've not been threatened by anyone! I've been threatened," he paused, glancing around the room for hidden listeners then staring directly into Will's eyes, "By Bonny Hawk!" Again, Will just blinked.  
"I'm sure that would have more impact on me if I knew who Bonny Hawk was."  
Jack sighed. "I suppose," he said slowly, "You might know her by the name of Anne Bonny." More blinks from Will.  
"Do you know nothing, lad?" he paced the floor, muttering to himself. Among various expletives, Will caught 'son of Bootstrap not knowing about Anne Bonny' and 'young people today'.  
"Are you going to tell me who she is then?" Will had realised that Jack was going to be here a while, whether he liked it or not.  
Looking thoughtful, Jack sat cross-legged on the edge of Will's bed, wondering where to begin. He made several false starts before settling on his story.  
"In 1698, an Irishman got his servant girl pregnant. They ran away to the new world. He became a plantation owner. Grew sugar, became quite wealthy. Anywho, they had a daughter by the name of Anne and she wasn't exactly what a rich man's daughter ought to be like."  
"How do you mean?" Will interrupted.  
"Well, there are stories. Some say she stabbed a servant girl when she was fourteen, and I'm not sure whether that's true or not. I do know that lots of men wanted to marry this fine young lady, and she wasn't having any of it. She used to insult anyone who came asking for her hand and once-" Jack broke off, remembering the many stories that surrounded Anne Bonny.  
"Yes?" Will tried to stifle a yawn, wanting the story to be over as quickly as possible.  
"A man tried to. . . force himself on her when she was fifteen. She beat him senseless with a chair." He smiled, seeming to forget how terrified he was. "That girl had savvy."  
"Jack?" nostalgic pirates did not help to speed a story along. "Jack! Get on with it!"  
Jack looked around, surprised at being brought out of his reverie so abruptly. "Oh sorry Will. Where was I? Oh yeah, she beat a man up, married a pirate and was disowned by her father. Might have burned his plantation down but no one knows for sure."  
"Right then." You got used to Jacks sporadic way of story telling after a while.  
"So this pirate she marries, John Bonny, he turns informer. Gets other fine buccaneers locked away, the git. Anne doesn't like this, so she leaves him, hops on a ship with Calico Jack."  
"You!" Jack looked insulted. "No! I'd never change my name. Captain Jack Sparrow is good enough for me, and Jack Rackham should've been good enough for Calico." He readjusted the coat on his shoulders. Will got the feeling that had Jack been walking, he'd have swaggered.  
"So she went with this Calico Jack person- that we've established isn't you- then what happened?"  
"Well, I was on that ship too. In my youth. I wasn't always a captain you know. Anne was a friend of mine. No, not that kind of friend." The last part was in response to Will's raised eyebrows.  
"Are you sure of that Jack?"  
"Course I'm bloody sure! We were in that alley for ten minutes and she didn't slap me once- how's that for proof?" at the mention of an alley, Will's eyebrows raised further.  
"It was the alley she threatened me in- look do you want to hear this story or not?"  
"Just get on with it!"  
"I would do if people didn't stop questioning my reputation every time I stop for breath! Anyway, as I was saying before I was interrupted," he glared at Will, "I was friends with Anne. One day, we docked at a Jamaican port, and I went a shore. For rum and the like, you know. Well, when I was off ship, it was attacked by the English bloody Navy. All the pirates on board hid, all save Anne and Mary."  
"Mary?"  
"Those eyebrows are raised again Master Turner. Put them down." Will obliged. "Mary Read. Another female pirate. Dressed as a man a lot. Not my type. So Anne and Mary fought while all the men hid away below deck. Bloody good fighters too. I saw the ship being attacked from the shore, but I couldn't do anything about it could I, all by me onesies? All the crew were taken prisoner, sentenced to be hanged. People around here seem to like that punishment don't they?" this was followed with mutterings about the Navy and how they seemed to think Pirates and the gallows made a good match.  
"So you stood back and let your friend and crew mates be captured?" Jack seemed to miss the sarcasm lacing Will's voice.  
"Yep. I don't particularly like offering my neck to the Navy, as you well know. 'Orrible men with 'orrible headgear. Anyways, there's me crew in jail, and me out. It was a while before they were hanged; there were lots more pirates in those days. Waiting lists for the bleedin' noose. Not like today. Well, I worked out a way to get Anne out of there."  
"How Jack? Or do I really want to know?"  
"Why is it you presume that every time I do something it's sordid and below the law?"  
"I call it 'past experience'." Jack considered this for a moment, weighing the argument in his head, then nodded.  
"Yeah, I suppose you're right. But this time, what I did, I got this old beggar off the street-" Will groaned inwardly- "and I told the prison guards he was Anne's father and I was her brother. In we go to talk to her in her cell, and we decide on a story to tell the guards. Well, Old Joe the beggar didn't do much deciding, he was off his head on free rum. We tell 'em Anne's pregnant, and it's illegal to hang an unborn child. They could have kept her locked up till she had the kid- not that there was one- but I reckon they needed the room so they let her go. The rum we gave 'em probably helped things along."  
"Jack does your world revolve around rum?"  
"Absolutely. So, me and Anne get ourselves a ship, pick up a crew and sail around the Caribbean for a bit. We get ourselves a small fleet, three ships between the three of us-"  
"Jack, when did a third person enter the equation?" it's hard to keep track of a story in which many major details are left out. Jack rolled his eyes.  
"Barbossa, my first mate. He took The Fraternity, Anne had The Liberty and I had The Equality. Small ships, but good enough."  
Will sensed a moment of pirate daydreams on the horizon. "What happened then?"  
Jack's face darkened. "I listened to Barbossa." 


End file.
